


chef's special

by summer127s



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Chefs, Alternate Universe - Idols, Cooking, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Manager Park Chanyeol, Minor Kim Jongin | Kai/Kim Jongdae | Chen, Slice of Life, cbx as their normal cbx selves, i don't really know what to tag this as, if strangers to friends to lovers was a tag, mention of violence, mild homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2019-11-27 11:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18193943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summer127s/pseuds/summer127s
Summary: World renowned chef/author Do Kyungsoo is good at everything, except for his lack of authority in the romance department.





	chef's special

“Kyungsoo-ah, taste this!” His mother exclaimed, shoveling the bowl towards him. At age ten, he was already familiar with differing cultures as his mom would cook American, Italian and regions of Korean food, unbeknownst to other small children. His mouth takes in the spoon, savoring the unexpected saltiness. “What is this?”

 

“ _Pasta e fagioli_. It’s Italian soup, I think it’s just super!” Her eyes glean with enthusiasm, “Do you like it?”

 

Kyungsoo nods fastidiously, even if he had never heard of such things.  

 

Thus, Kyungsoo was always interested in food, food science, the history of food, anything to do with creating something so beautiful that people wanted to take pictures, which excited Kyungsoo to no end. Completing his culinary schooling and getting his license, traveling and trying new foods, spontaneously settling down in Seoul and searching for a place in the States to accommodate his busy schedule. Currently he’s slurping down a bowl of ramen, preparing to go into hair and makeup for _the Kitchen_ , where he’s making bibimbap for the host, promoting his new book about Korean food and where to buy specific items in the States. It was an extensive research project that took everyone’s full support and attention. Sehun nearly quit three times and had to be talked off of a ledge, Jongin had already put his two weeks in and Junmyeon was loyal as ever.

Yet they finished it within six months, having plenty of rewrites, discussions, occasional arguments that resulted in Chinese take-out and bottles of soju. Lots of soju.

 

* * *

 

 

Kyungsoo looks up at Junmyeon’s brightly lit smile, “You’re sending me where?”

 

“Pretty much every major city in the United States, it’ll be a good three month tour, you’ll be back here in Korea by May. Sehun’s mad because you’re missing his birthday, but we can come visit like it’s really not that big of a deal.” Kyungsoo can’t deny the disdain for being alone on the road for three months straight, endlessly bogged down by interviews, questionnaires and book signings. It is a good way to promote himself and he has an entire secondary public relations team to guide him, Junmyeon just wanted to stay in Korea to help transition for the next book, which Kyungsoo would be working on in his downtime between public showings. He’s overwhelmed despite being in the cooking business for eight years, he’s never done a full tour like this before. “Are you gonna be okay?” Sehun’s bleeding heart notices the frightened look in his big Bambi eyes. “I think so, I just wish you guys were coming with me.”

 

“We can always come visit, Sehun and I just have so much to do for the next book, we’re definitely getting you on Buzzfeed Tasty’s radar.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

 

The plane lands in Los Angeles and reminds Kyungsoo of how much of an anxious flier he can be, his legs feel like jelly and the time change is mind warping as it’s only four in the afternoon on the Pacific Coast, so his team drop everything to head out for the beach as they take some relaxation time before having to go to work. They go to dinner, cheering for Kyungsoo to make a speech, who wishes everyone well and to be proud of their work. Afterwards, the crew retire to their rooms; Kyungsoo receives a run-down of tomorrow’s schedule, then watches a movie before falling asleep, his circadian rhythm off by a long shot.

 

Within a single month of their endeavor, Kyungsoo’s patience for people was dwindling down to nothing. He’s had three team members drop out, one straight up quit, citing Kyungsoo was difficult to please, one fell ill and another got pregnant. He was in one of his worst moods before his appearance on _The Tonight Show,_ stuck in an endless string of constant emails from Junmyeon and Sehun, throwing around ideas about the team, the book, his personality. It’s unbearable at times and Kyungsoo can’t help but feel as though this wasn’t a good idea. He has to push all of those anxious thoughts to the back burner, hearing the hairstylists talking amongst themselves about the handsome band members playing later on, “They have a good debut album.” One remarked as another put it on. The beats are good, the sound fluid and the lyrics are fun. Kyungsoo’s spirits have lifted a bit as they move on to wardrobe and sizing. Rehearsal is in an hour and the show won’t be shot until tomorrow afternoon. American television scheduling wasn’t different from Korea, although Kyungsoo feels like he’s being pulled in a million opposing directions, and he’s just one person. _Imagine having three people to take care of, their poor managers._ But at least getting ready would be more fun, if you had people you worked with all the time with you. As if on cue, Junmyeon calls. “Oh, what do I owe the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Kim for?”

A small chuckle, “Cute. How’s New York?”

 

“As much of it that I’ve seen, loud and crowded.”

 

“Exciting stuff. I was actually calling because it’s Sehun’s birthday tomorrow so I was hoping you could try and phone in at some point. Just don’t forget, alright? Especially since you’re busy.”

 

“I won’t. I’ll put a timer on for eleven in the morning.”

 

“You’re pretty good about birthdays, but you know if you even miss Sehun’s birthday by a minute, he’ll bug you about it for the next year.”

Junmyeon’s the one who gets the brute of that force, never remembering anyone’s birthdays. Kyungsoo nods along, “I wish I was there. For real.”

 

“Eh, you’ll be back soon. Don’t fret too much. Besides, you can buy him a present while you’re in New York. Drop by one of those designer watch stores.”

Kyungsoo takes note on a stray Post-it, “Okay. Anything else?” By then the crew start tugging on his arm, “I gotta go Junmyeon. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

“Bye. Don’t strain yourself too much.”

 

Kyungsoo huffs, unable to come up with a response, so the phone connection drops dead. They dress him in brown paper bag pants and a cream colored turtleneck, tucking it in. He feels swallowed up by the fabric as they slip a Rolex on his left wrist under the shirt. Slipping on some clean white tennis shoes, they exit the dressing room and make their way over to the studio lot. He cranes his neck to catch a glimpse of the host, laughing loudly at something one of the band members said. He quietly approaches the three of them, the attention circling in on him. He shakes their hands, the host is speaking in English, but once he leaves, the three of them switch to Korean, shouting excitedly at Kyungsoo.

“Wow! It’s such an honor to meet you! Like what the hell! What are the odds that we get to be on the same show? Oh, I’m Baekhyun, this is Jongdae and Minseok. We’re CBX. I don’t know if you’ve heard of us.”

 

“Of course, we were listening to your music in the dressing room.” Kyungsoo feels rude not introducing himself, but they are clearly familiar with his work. Those words melt them down, “Wow, you like our music. Chanyeol’s gonna freak.”

 

They motion for one of the shadowy figures to make himself known. He’s tall and thin, wearing all black and a smile. “Hi Kyungsoo-ssi. Sorry if they were overwhelming. These kids have been cooped up all day in the dressing room.”

 

The others narrow their eyes, forcing Kyungsoo to laugh, “Oh, it’s totally fine. I’m really glad I don’t have to worry about speaking English all day. It’s a relief to see other Koreans on the show.”

“Yeah, Chanyeol. Don’t make us look bad.” They walk away to continue practicing their choreography, leaving the two strangers alone. “I heard you were over in America for a book tour, but I had no idea they were sticking you on screen.”

 

“Well, putting a face to the name sells. Which doesn’t really make sense considering my face is plastered on the cover of my cookbooks and on the flaps. But it’s a good marketing strategy. I was shocked when my publicist told me he got me a spot on a few of these types of late night shows.”

 

“Oh? Are we going to be seeing more of one another?” Chanyeol’s eyes sparkle, enthused to be with Kyungsoo. “I guess so. When does shooting start?” He checks the watch, only to realize the time is wrong, they didn’t change it on the flight over. “What time is it?”

“They give you a busted watch? That’s atrocious.” He checks his, “Should be starting in a few minutes.”

“It’s in Korean time. So maybe I’m from the future.”

 

“Oh yeah? Does future Kyungsoo-ssi know how this all ends? Will Baekhyun make me go get Italian Ice at three in the morning?”

 

“Italian Ice? An odd late night snack.”

 

“I’ve stopped trying to understand him.”

 

Kyungsoo does remind him, “You don’t have to be formal with me, Chanyeol. We’re in America anyways.” He nods, “It’s a slip. You could be younger than me anyways.”

Kyungsoo soon learns he is.

 

The rehearsal runs smoothly, Baekhyun forgets how to say something in English and Jongdae has to rescue him, but it’s quite a positive experience. Kyungsoo hates when he has to leave to go eat and host another book tour. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.” Chanyeol brightly replies as they slide into separate vehicles.

 

He’s a little off kilter after their first meeting, thinking about how someone’s ears could protrude so much.

 

The next day, Kyungsoo can barely drag himself out of bed, exhaustion heavy in his bones as he force feeds himself cereal for breakfast. There’s a sense of concern about his performance tonight, he’ll be in makeup and wardrobe for the majority of the day. They’re letting him choose his outfit, which makes him happy. They must have seen how stressed he was yesterday.

His hair stays flat, a feeling of softness paired with a sweater and some dark brown slacks. He looks over jewelry, picking out two rings on his less dominant hand. The simplicity of his style brings him comfort, feeling much calmer than yesterday. By three o’clock, his team guide him into the lot across for the stage. He plasters on a smile as he sees the other three young men gathered around the host, shaking his hand in greeting once again. They seem to be deep in conversation over something. But Kyungsoo isn’t able to join, because the show is about to start shooting and the music is first.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo sit together in the green room while they perform, talking about his favorite recipes, if he was nervous about the host and how Chanyeol knew Kim Jongin.

“Yeah, he and Jongdae have been seeing each other for three months. I don’t know how they met.”

 

“You didn’t ask?”

 

“It’s none of my business who Jongdae sees. Or any of them.”

 

“It’s called caring, Chanyeol. You’re not putting him out by asking. Unless Jongin’s already fucked up.”

He tilts his head, “Sounds like you know quite a bit about Jongin. You said he used to work for you?”

 

“About a year. He quit a few months ago, I think he works at a business firm, crunching numbers and the like. It was mutual, he just wanted to move on. Junmyeon got him the job anyways, but he was good at it. Better than the moron we have replaced him with.”

Chanyeol gives this embarrassed, knowing smile. “I’m sure there are plenty of people willing to work with you, just put it out there. It’s a scarce job market to begin with, as I vouch from personal experience.”

 

“You seem comfortable with them, the guys. Like you were born for this.”

 

“No one’s born to do anything, Kyungsoo. We just tell ourselves we were destined to be specifically interested in music, business, food, etc. No one sets out to be the manager of an idol group, much less a cook.” He answers a text after his dramatic response, having a calming effect on Kyungsoo. He’s not terrified when his name is called for makeup. Especially not when Chanyeol waves farewell.

 

Kyungsoo is ushered into a large and intensely lit room, filtered in front of a mirror as personal stylists go to work, applying a lightweight BB Cream  and concealer under his eyes, powder on the rest of his face. Mousse pushes through his hair for it to stand, picking at the stray hairs to lie down before being handed a script. He’s exhausted from third day lingering jet lag, as noted by the three strokes of concealer for the camera. He flicks through the pages, gazing upon the highlighted words specific to him. The makeup artists dab on an eyeshadow palette of your basic beige and white, creased into his eyelid. Then pat on the finishing touches before wardrobe takes over, dressing Kyungsoo in tight-fitting beige slacks, black dress shoes and a short-sleeved light blue shirt that they tuck in. He looks sharp.

A few last minute touches before they guide him into the main filming room, the host announces his name, the cameras turn to him and they chat for a minute or so, he gets complimented for knowing proficient amounts of English. Kyungsoo smiles, but it’s a bit of an unnecessary touch, so he drops the smile when they go to commercial break. They set up with Kyungsoo explaining the steps of cooking the rice, assembling the ingredients, having the host cook the egg. Kyungsoo notices his hands are shaking when they go to commercials.

He quietly watches CBX perform as a figure looms behind him. “They’re captivating right? That’s what everyone else tells me.”  Chanyeol’s arms are folded, leaning against the sound booth that isn’t in session right now. He’s wearing a leather jacket, despite the temperature being in the lower 70s. “Yeah, they have chemistry.” Kyungsoo responds, not daring to look Chanyeol in the face.

“We’re going out for food and drinks afterwards if you would like to join us.”

 

Kyungsoo can’t bring himself to say no to that.

 

The shooting finishes fast, as Chanyeol snatches part of the dish they made for everyone in the crew. “This is very tasty, Kyungsoo, I love the egg texture. It’s like damn near perfect.” He compliments as Minseok walks by, dabbing the sweat from his temples and tossing the towel over his shoulder. He gives the two of them a quizzical look before he and the others file wordlessly into the van. Kyungsoo is explaining how to cook the best egg as they stop in front of the vehicle. “You coming with?” Chanyeol slides into the passenger seat, not leaving the answer up for grabs. Kyungsoo sits next to Baekhyun, whose busily tapping away on his phone, no rest for the weary. “Hey, so tell me the difference in making a cloud egg and like… a poached egg. Why is it so impossible to poach an egg?” Kyungsoo explains that, “you simply need the right materials and an impeccable sense of time.”

Jongdae laughs loudly, “That’s definitely not Chanyeol’s strong suit.” Kyungsoo was kind of shocked he was even listening to them, assuming he was simply disappearing after all of this.

They park a few blocks away, not expecting much recognition. Once they’re seated, he can tell the boys are tired, Minseok’s head resting on Baekhyun’s shoulder and Jongdae’s eyes are glazed over. Chanyeol doesn’t miss a beat though, chatting up a storm for Kyungsoo to thoroughly process.

“I just watched this documentary on the Manchus of China and it was super fascinating, I don’t know how well versed you are with historical people and what not.”

Kyungsoo bites his lower lip, unabashedly out of his element if it’s not a cooking show. “I guess… are you asking me a question?”

 

“The answer is no when it comes to Chanyeol. One time, he talked my ear off about Japanese stationery and I had to buy him street food to get him to stop.” Minseok fondly reminisces, still tucked under Baekhyun. The waiter greets them, taking their drink orders. Baekhyun gets two bottles of soju for the table and they discuss what the best options for them were, exhausting the waiter until he left with a grimace.

“Feels like we are getting scammed.” Jongdae’s fist pressed into his cheek, sending his hat askew. It’s around rush hour, so it’s kind of packed, a few tables empty and bus boys busily cleaning up the mess. Someone drops a plate in the kitchen and Chanyeol gets startled, “It’s not serious.” Kyungsoo says, unassuming.

“He’s a big baby, Kyungsoo, just let him be.”

Strange how none of them used honorifics even using their native language, although Chanyeol was younger than all of them, so it seems pointless.

Kyungsoo indeed, was youngest of the group, but not by much. Minseok’s persona alone could have everyone mistaking him for a university student, “I’m getting my PhD actually.”

_How?_

 

“God, give it a rest, you barely work at it.” Jongdae attempts to hit him and instead hits Baekhyun, who retaliates with a yelp.

 

“You guys are embarrassing… Kyungsoo I do apologize for them, they act like whiny seven year olds.”

 

Kyungsoo nervously laughs, “They’re fine, I’m sure they’re tired anyways.”

The group scowl, “Okay _eomma_ and _appa,_ can we get shaved ice after this?”

 

Chanyeol gives him an exhaustive sigh, but something within Kyungsoo knows the answer is yes.

 

They eat dinner together, pay the bill and part ways, with Chanyeol finally writing his number down in Kyungsoo’s phone, “Don’t lose it okay? Do you want my email too?”

 

“Um, I don’t feel like that’s necessary… unless we’re strictly professional.”

 

“Do I look like a professional?” Chanyeol asks, seemingly enlightened. Kyungsoo is embarrassed now, “I didn’t mean to say you weren’t, it’s just our first two meetings were—,” 

“Anything but?” Chanyeol finishes, happy to have the last word. Kyungsoo shoves his hands into his pockets, staring at the ground. 

Chanyeol’s smiling at him, _cute._ “Don’tbe soglum, I have thoroughly enjoyed our strange debate-worthy conversations.”

 

 

Kyungsoo looks up, “Me too.”

 

They’re swallowed by this palpable tension and if Kyungsoo were anyone else, he may have acted on it.

“Are you two done? We’re falling asleep at the wheel here!” Baekhyun was watching them, disgruntled.

Snapping out of whatever funk looming over their heads, “Um, thanks for tonight. Maybe I’ll see you guys soon?” Kyungsoo tries to look past Chanyeol’s skyscraper height into the vehicle.

 

“Don’t count on it, unless you’re driving to Newark and becoming our fansite,” Baekhyun decrees, not looking up from his cell phone.

 

“Oh, please take better pictures of me.” Jongdae jokes as Chanyeol slides into the passenger seat, “Bye Kyungsoo.”

He politely waves back as they peel out into oncoming traffic.

 

About two weeks pass, with Kyungsoo traveling from New York, over to Boston, Philadelphia, across the Midwest and Pacific Coast. Seattle, Portland and making stops throughout California’s large cities other than Los Angeles. It’s overwhelming and Kyungsoo doesn’t get much sleep, which affects his immune system greatly, as he wakes up with only one more week to go before he was expected home, feeling nauseous and unable to get out of bed.

Once he moves cautiously does his stomach twist and Kyungsoo has no choice but to throw up last night’s dinner and whatever else he had.

There’s no way he’ll be able to get through the rest of the book tour like this and he knows it, so he washes his mouth and his face, feeling cold and clammy as he reaches for his lifeline, Junmyeon.

 

It patches through, with the line being picked up, “Kyungsoo? What’s going on?”

 

“Myeonnie… I’m not feeling well can you find the next flight to Korea?”

 

“Is it that bad? You can’t just keep it up? We only have a week left.”

 

“Junmyeon, I’m sick… like violently ill. I need this… please, I’ll pay you back or we can refund the tickets and I can come back I just don’t think I can go through with it.” Kyungsoo’s voice tapers off, moaning out of pain.

 

“Okay, okay… sorry, I wasn’t trying to make it seem like you were lying.”

 

“Believe me, if I thought I could do this, I wouldn’t be asking.”

 

Junmyeon’s fingers tap away on the computer, “I’ll call in advance, looks like the next flight to Korea is on standby at 3:30 your time, I’ll send a car for you, are you gonna be alright?”

 

“I’ll just take some sleeping pills and hope I don’t throw up on the plane… if I have to use the bathroom I’ll have no choice.” Kyungsoo rubs his temples, dull pain throbbing in his skull.

“Okay, stay hydrated, I’ll take care of everything and I’ll pick you up from the airport.”

 

“Thank you.” He softly responds, “Bye Myeonnie.”

 

“You owe me.” He teases before they hang up and Kyungsoo drags himself around to collect leftover clothes and toiletries, stuffing them into his bag before being escorted to the car to take him to LAX.

Junmyeon texts him the details, “I’ll pick you up around 5 o’clock in the morning, try to get some sleep.”

 

Kyungsoo send back a heart before waiting for his flight to be called, only taking the pills when it was time to sleep, having to be woken up by the attendant when the plane was about to land. It was the best sleep he had gotten in the last few weeks, dragging himself off of the plane, disoriented while he texted Junmyeon his whereabouts.

He meets Junmyeon at the baggage claim, letting him rest while they collect his two suitcases and head out, letting Kyungsoo lie in the passenger seat, “Do you still feel sick?”

 

“Yeah… if I throw up in your car, I’m sorry.”

 

“Please don’t. I’ll just pull over, but we won’t be too long until we get back to your apartment.”

Kyungsoo dozes off again, waking up after dreaming about Chanyeol’s soft hair between his fingers.

“Almost there, we’ll figure out how to refund tickets and everything’s been cancelled already…” Junmyeon tugs on the steering wheel, turning into his complex and taking his suitcases inside. “You need me to carry you?”

 

“Its fine,” Kyungsoo pushes the hood of his two day old sweatshirt, hoping to be incognito within the walls of his apartment. They seem to grant this small favor for him, quietly unlocking his fourth floor place and treading lightly until he got into his room. Junmyeon carries his suitcases for him, “Go take a shower, you smell awful. Have you even brushed your teeth since you got on the plane?”

Kyungsoo doesn’t answer that, because Junmyeon knows damn well he didn’t.

He strips his sweaty clothes off, turning the knob on the shower and constantly feeling the temperature until it’s satisfactory. His legs feel weak after sitting in the car, on the plane, just constant stillness. He hates the aftermath of flying, he feels it for days.

As the water hits him, all he can think of is Chanyeol being in Korea, the two of them meeting again in the right place at the right time. Could they start over? As just two people? Kyungsoo hasn’t been on a proper date or even had a proper crush on anyone since university, with everything fading into oblivion as a routine of work and writing, occasional social events, but nothing major.

 

Was there something wrong with him?

 

He ignores that sinking feeling in his gut, toweling off and changing into pajamas, it’s about seven o’clock in the morning and he shouldn’t sleep, but he’s still not feeling great, solemnly sitting on the couch while Junmyeon unpacks his clothes and souvenirs.

“I can do that Myeon, don’t worry about it.”

 

“Eh, you’re sick and it’s not that much, all of these clothes have to be washed anyways and that’s all the suitcases are.” Junmyeon sets aside other necessities, “here’s your toothbrush.”

 

“I rinsed my mouth out with water and mouthwash.”

 

“Like that’s a real substitute for actually brushing your fucking teeth. Nasty.” Junmyeon crinkles his nose, before turning back to throwing everything into his washer.

Kyungsoo scowls, Junmyeon always gets under his skin in the most niche ways possible. Because he’s right. And normally Kyungsoo couldn’t stand not brushing his teeth at least twice a day, so he gets it over with. Not like he feels much better.

 

He sleeps off his worries eventually, only hearing Junmyeon leave and return with another voice being thrown into the mix. Probably Sehun. He cracks an eye open, unable to focus completely on his surroundings, other than the blur of bodies in his kitchen. Tilting his head up in an attempt to find the sound, Sehun plops down on the couch, nearly taking his toes off. “Hey, you feeling any better?”

 

“Sort of.” He mumbles, at least not feeling overly nauseous. “Good, we brought you street food because it’s noon right now.”

The two of them serve the sandwich as a chef would, handing it to Kyungsoo with a bow.

“Knock it off,” he dives straight for the bread, which was his favorite part. Junmyeon accompanies it with some water as the two of them strategize profits versus cancellations. “Kyungsoo, are you listening?” He nods, unable to speak.

“So, our best option is to either cancel the rest of the tour and put those dates as first on the next book signing tour, that way we can plow ahead and get the next one published quickly, because we can’t afford to compete with the summer time.”

 

“Or,” Junmyeon rebuttals, “We can continue the tour, send you back over to the six sold out venues and cash in from there. Believe me, there’s nothing Sehunnie and I can’t do while you’re away and the next book is already being brainstormed anyways, so I think it’s a real waste of time to just throw away the rest of the dates. If people are really wanting to see you, and they do, they will rearrange the heavens and Earth to get their free tickets.”

 

Sehun scoffs, “it’s not like I disagree with you Myeon, I’m just looking out for Kyungsoo’s best interest, I mean, I wouldn’t willingly fly another twenty hours or so back to America for a tour that was only another singular week. He’s exhausted, Myeon, look at him!”

 

Kyungsoo could theoretically argue that he is in worse shape because he’s been sick, but a small, selfish part wants to be home.

Junmyeon wrinkles his nose, “It’s up to you, Kyungsoo, you’re the one who goes to these places.”

 

Ultimately, he decides to stay in Korea, work on new recipes for his book and give out refunds. The few audiences would be sore losers, maybe even cause a stir, but Kyungsoo needed to rest, he couldn’t and wouldn’t force himself to do things he didn’t want to. Most people in his circle understood that and the ones who argued with him… didn’t stick around for very long.

 

Once Junmyeon and Sehun finish up their work, it’s about three in the afternoon, giving each other (mostly Kyungsoo) his alone time. He was mulling around the kitchen, with only a few scraps of leftover street food for dinner and absolutely nothing but pantry supplies to keep him alive for the next forty-eight hours. Kyungsoo muses about how he should hire a professional grocery shopper and what that would pay.

He sighs defeatedly before opening the balcony doors to air out the musty smell of no one living in the space for about a month, which he detests.

It feels like his home, having been here since he was a university student, but his furniture and paint are in dire need of an upgrade. Kyungsoo has been slowly chipping away in searching for interesting pieces and colors, yet he doesn’t stay long enough for it to matter. Not to mention thinking about repainting more than two rooms in the house makes his head hurt because drying paint is not a pleasant smell.

Sehun or Junmyeon would house him though, as that isn’t a major concern as his home is visited once more with a firm knock. Being on the opposite side, Kyungsoo hurriedly catches it on the second knock, with Jongin on the receiving end, fabric bag on his shoulder and smiling cutely.

 

“Hey, heard you had a rough last two days.”

 

“No one keeps anything to themselves I see,” Kyungsoo grumbles in response, leaving him standing there to take a seat on his couch.

 

“Actually, I heard you came home early from Sehun, because we were hanging out when he got the call to go see you.” Jongin sets the bag down, “I was nice enough to get you some shrimp lo mein or if you’re gonna be a big bitch to me, I can just go.”

 

Kyungsoo blinks, softening his exterior a bit, it’s not as though he was mad to see Jongin, he was overly exhausted and annoyed at this minor infatuation with Chanyeol. He senses that, seemingly, “It’s fine, I get it. Probably weird to see me and Jongdae and Chanyeol together.”

 

“Why Chanyeol?”

 

“Just—you know, in one room. I don’t know if you know that Chanyeol is actually the one who introduced me to Jongdae, he thought we would hit it off  splendidly. And about four hours into our second date, I saw it.”

 

Kyungsoo should read between the lines, but he truly cannot comprehend Jongin’s anecdote. “Are you trying to return the favor?”

He winks, “Exactly.”

 

“Please don’t, it would just make things so awkward.”

 

“Knowing you, it’s already fraught with desire and anxiety.” Jongin purses his thick lips, “Can you just let me give him your number?”

 

“I have his.”

 

“Ah, well it’s a two way street. How come he doesn’t have yours?”

Kyungsoo shrugs, unashamed.

 

“Well, Chanyeol was a little peeved that you went home without notice and that he had to hear it from Jongdae. So I would kindly ask you to give this a try.”

 

“What are you, some sort of personal OkCupid?”

 

“God that reference is so old, Kyungsoo. Please get it into your head that maybe someone out there likes you, someone named Park Chanyeol. And he just wants a shot. In more ways than one.”

 

This is why he can’t stand Jongin at times.

 

He reaches for the food, only for Jongin to move it away, “Promise?”

 

“Yeah, okay. I got it, stop mothering me.”

Jongin returns it, smiling sweetly, “That’s all I ask for my dear.”

 

* * *

 

Kyungsoo is standing in front of his mirror, singing songs while he applies a face mask. It’s been about a week since he returned to Korea, still a little disoriented from his supposed food poisoning. Junmyeon and Sehun came through to check up on him every day until the weekend when he promised he was alright, under intense scrutiny.

 

There’s a knock on the door, startling Kyungsoo out of his realm, padding over to answer the door in his bathrobe. It’s Chanyeol of course.

He answers even though his better judgement knows it’s a bad idea, as Chanyeol nearly double takes at his appearance. “Bad time?”

 

“Not at all.” He’s realizing the sheet mask is on his face as he peels it off, blushing a little at that factor.

“Well, okay. Can I come in? I just got back and I didn’t know you got sick, why didn’t you say anything? You kind of ghosted me.”

 

“I was recovering and I kind of let it go, sorry. It just wasn’t pretty and I mean, you were busy with the band.”

 

“Doesn’t mean I would ignore your well-being.”

 

“I’m fine now, really. I promise I’ll tell you everything. I will overshare my boring life.”

 

Chanyeol takes his jacket off, “Your life is far from boring. Are you still working on your new book?”

 

“Yeah, recipes are coming together, if you or any relative have good ones, I’ll credit them notably.”

 

“Good on you. Was there a lot of blow-back from your missed venues?”

 

Kyungsoo probably got a watered down version of events from Junmyeon, who took the heat. “I think most people were understanding. But it’s a tough business to be in, entertaining people.” He doesn’t feel convincing, “I dunno. I could easily have been lied to.”

 

“You don’t seem the type to get your feelings hurt easily.”

 

 _You don’t know me then._ “Bold statement.” Kyungsoo reclines on his couch, only to realize his state of undress, quickly sitting up. “Um, do you mind if I change?”

 

“It’s your house.” Chanyeol sits next to him, Kyungsoo almost feels pinned in before slinking away. His cheeks are red as hell, flushed as his entire body. Especially the parts Chanyeol can’t see.

He picks a pair of Adidas joggers and a baggy, beige sweater to showcase he’s no model by any means. Chanyeol seems distant, moving a bit to allow for Kyungsoo to sit back down. “So, what caused your near-death experience?”

He can’t be serious. “Overworking as usual, which is how I fell ill in the first place.”

 

“Hopefully you learned a valuable lesson?”

 

“Oh, like you don’t get sick from overworking yourself. You take care of three kids.”

 

“That’s me, the glorified babysitter.”

Kyungsoo cracks a smile at that, “I could tell by the few times I’ve met you. None of them have been in Korea, which is extremely ironic.”

 

He shrugs, “I love them to bits. They are rambunctious as hell and I really never get tired of them, even if it seems like it.”

Kyungsoo nods, “I wish I had that support system traveling with me everywhere.”

 

“You feeling lonely on the road?”

 

Kyungsoo realizes he doesn’t talk much about those worries, not even to Junmyeon. Something about Chanyeol makes him want to be honest and heartfelt, so he nods, curling on his side. “It’s tough being in an environment where everyone speaks fluent English and I feel like I can barely string a sentence together. I’m constantly practicing and everyone talks about how great I sound, but it’s just wasteful, their compliments. I’m really insecure and Sehun and Junmyeon keep asking me if I want a translator, but I feel like that’s worse, they ask if I want an assistant and I tell them no because that would basically be a plus one. It’s just the job I’ve chosen. There’s ups and downs.” He looks over at Chanyeol’s concerned face, “At least I’ve seen you guys a few times, it’s a comfort to be around other Koreans.”

Chanyeol slides down, letting his shoulder get level with Kyungsoo’s face. He doesn’t hesitate to rest his face into Chanyeol’s chest, as his fingers pet Kyungsoo’s hair. It’s unfortunately erotic to him, someone who craves physical touch and mistakes it for intimacy, as someone who wanted to be in love and for someone to take care of him. Part of him saw that in Chanyeol, especially how invested he was in Kyungsoo’s abilities.

 

Now they’re lying there, crushed together. Kyungsoo wants to cry a little, it feels so wonderful to have Chanyeol’s nails in his scalp, he’s talking about how Minseok adored Kyungsoo and, “he thinks you are my type.”

 

He snaps out of the daze, moving away from Chanyeol, “I— you have a type?”

 

“Not really. But Minseok thinks you’re good for me, we click and stuff. I don’t know what makes him an expert, he hasn’t had a significant other in years.”

 

Chanyeol is clearly missing the point.

“Do you… like me in the way Minseok is describing?”

 

Chanyeol hums, “Romanticist is what Minseok is. He loves love and he loves trying to push me with other people. But he’s right about you.”

 

The quietness is buzzing in his ears as Chanyeol leans over for a kiss. His nose is close to Kyungsoo, their space growing infinitely smaller, he can taste Chanyeol’s tongue when Chanyeol's phone goes off, startling both of them.

He answers immediately. “Hey, what? Slow down Minseok. You’re speaking too fast.” Chanyeol jolts up off of the couch, “Shit, I gotta go, I am so sorry.” He hurriedly unlocks the door and runs out of Kyungsoo’s apartment. He’s bewildered and a little hurt as he chases Chanyeol down the hallway, losing him quickly at the junction between elevator and stairs. As he trudged back to the open apartment door, Kyungsoo is unsure of whether or not he should wait up for Chanyeol, in case he returns although he has no idea what caused their rift. All he knows is how badly he needed that kiss, wanting Chanyeol in his arms.

He falls asleep despite the fight to see Chanyeol again.

 

 

The next morning is hard. More difficult than Kyungsoo wanted to admit. His heartbrokenness over Chanyeol leaving him out to dry was probably the last thing either of them wanted to do to one another. But it still happened and their kiss didn’t. Instead, Kyungsoo wakes up alone, why he thought Chanyeol would stay the night, he’s not sure. He makes breakfast, planning out his day thoughtfully. He tries not to glue himself to his phone over Chanyeol, he can’t let it distract him from his important work. Sehun calls once to ask if green onions are in season and if he wanted to go get coffee later today. Kyungsoo says yes, knowing it’ll be good for him to leave the house.

He's elbows deep in rolling out pasta dough when another visitor makes their presence known. He has to stop his process and awkwardly opens the door with his elbow to reveal Jongin, with a cut on his head and a pout. “Jesus, what happened to you?”

 

He seems surprised, “Chanyeol or none of them told you?”

 

“No… I haven’t heard anything from Chanyeol or the other guys, he just left.”

 

Jongin inhales dramatically, brushing his fingers through his mussed hair before jumping into this tale of woe, “So Jongdae and I were sort of on a date, but we weren’t doing anything that could be considered romantic, just talking. Maybe I held his hand once or twice. Suddenly, this group of like five guys start harassing us, calling us fags and trying to pick a fight. I’m about to call security when Jongdae gets up and punches one of them in the nose. So all hell breaks loose and I’m prying three people off of him and tackling them to the ground. It’s a mess and finally people get involved and break it up, Jongdae’s face is bloodied and I’m in tears, yelling at him. So Minseok and Baekhyun get a call from me, they head over and we take him to the hospital, Chanyeol was with you I guess and—,”

 

He stops his story, seeming to put two and two together, “Were you two… kissing?”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t respond immediately, horrified by the story. “Um, no. Not exactly.”

 

“Meaning?”

 

“We were going to, but he got a call and left.”

 

Jongin’s eyes widen, that string of broken fate tying them together. “Fuck. Wow. I am so sorry.”

 

“You have nothing to apologize for Jongin, I would feel extremely selfish keeping him here. I just wish I had known everything.” Kyungsoo leans over, “What happened afterwards?”

 

“We paid the bills and they bandaged both of us up fairly well. Jongdae still looks worse for the wear, but still better than originally.”

 

“What about the guys who harassed you?”

 

“They chalked it up to a bar fight, nothing of their property was broken and we got as much damage as they did.”

 

“But it was targeted harassment!”

 

“I know, I am trying to fight it. But I’m also attempting to move on and care for Jongdae.”

 

“Jesus, I wish you would have asked for help.”

 

“The other three help a lot, I moved Jongdae in my apartment for now, even though he whines about how he misses it.” Jongin sighs, “Life’s kind of a fucking mess, yeah?”

 

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo echos, pondering how he can salvage the almost kiss. Jongin watches him work, sinking into the nearest bar stool, “You need to get pounded like that pasta you’re massaging out.” Kyungsoo scoffs, covering up his disdain for the sexual connotation. The pasta didn’t deserve that.

 

“Aren’t you tired of dodging Chanyeol? Let me make it up to you. As soon as Jongdae gets better, I can host a party or I can help you host a party. And we can get Chanyeol back in the picture.”

 

“That’s awfully nice of you… I wouldn’t want my feelings to get in the way of some real-life situation though.”

 

“You’re too selfless, Kyungsoo. You matter too. Take some pride in what you want, stop meandering around and feeling sorry for yourself. Go get your man.”

 

“Don’t call him my man, that’s gross.”

 

“I have seen Chanyeol look at you talking, he is in fucking love with you and we have to do something, otherwise Jongdae and the others will never shut up about how annoyed they are. And we can all move on.”

 

Kyungsoo cuts out pasta shapes before sticking them in the oven to bake. “Sure, I guess I could stand to be social.”

 

Jongin’s excited voice lets out a small victory cheer, hugging Kyungsoo tightly and spinning him around. He’s glad the kitchen is big enough for him to be lifted within the space of the oven and dishwasher. “I don’t know why you’re so cheery, this isn’t about you.”

 

“Oh, of course not. I’ll be here every step of the way. I can help you set up.” Jongin offers, already washing his dishes.

 

Kyungsoo changes into business casual and heads out with Jongin, dropping him off at his apartment on his way to meet Sehun at their favorite coffee bar. He orders some green tea and takes the other chair opposite of his business partner. “These pictures Junmyeon and I fought over actually turned out nicely. And we barely used our cell phones this time.”

Sehun, the owner of a Canon Rebel T7, refused to bust it out for anything else other than food photography and travel. Their funds could most likely cover for the next new thing, but Kyungsoo couldn’t keep up with what they needed, not to mention replace appliances and if he wanted to spruce up his apartment. It was too much for his brain to comprehend, letting out a deep sigh and rubbing his hands down his face. “Don’t do that, it’s bad for your skin.” Sehun reprimands him, scribbling down recipes, notes, edits into his notebook. They printed out the photographs in a darkroom, so Sehun is looking through for imperfections digitally and literally. Kyungsoo stares out the window for a bit, thinking about what Jongin said, was it that obvious the two of them had been circling around one another like bees to flowers? Or Sehun with iced coffee?

“Where’s your head at?”

 

“Hm?” He asks, caught on a distraction.

 

“Exactly. Pay attention to me, Kyungsoo. This is important work stuff we are discussing in a public coffee shop.” A hint of a smile dances across his lips, “What are you thinking about?”

 

“Nothing. Just… personal stuff.”

 

“Chanyeol?”

 

“No. Jongdae.”

Sehun rolls his eyes, “By six degrees of separation, it’s about Chanyeol. I won’t touch that topic just yet.” Kyungsoo pointedly ignores his comment, steering both of them back on track so they can leave.

 

They visit Jongdae a few times in the coming three weeks, with Kyungsoo greeting Chanyeol and the others normally, finding it difficult to not have hard feelings over their radio silence, although Chanyeol doesn’t say much or text him. He talks with Jongdae for most of the time, even climbing in bed with him to change one of his bandages. “It must hurt.”

 

“Believe me, nothing was worse than initially getting punched and then being stitched up. It’ll heal and we can keep touring.” Jongdae leans over, his head pressed into Kyungsoo’s neck, “I heard we completely ruined your kiss.” He whispers, holding each others’ hands. Their friends feel far away, in another orbit as Kyungsoo slides down into the sheets, “Jongin shouldn’t have said anything.” He groans, now the one in Jongdae’s lap.

 

“I wouldn’t fuss too much, if Chanyeol really likes you, he’ll budge. But maybe you ought to get this locomotive chugging along, if you get what I’m saying.”

 

Kyungsoo looks out the window, “Sure.”

 

He smiles, “I’m sure you’re sick of everyone talking about the two of you with nothing behind it.”

 

“It’s on me. No need to involve so many people because someone’s gonna slip up and say something to scare Chanyeol off.”

 

“I’ve known him for nine years, he is fearless as hell. Absolutely terrified of nothing except loud noises and you.”

That one makes Kyungsoo laugh. “Am I that scary?”

 

“You? Nah. You’re nice and angelic. Chanyeol is just a chicken about showing affection. He’s always slow to warm up around people he likes. That’s why he hasn’t said one word to you since—,” Jongdae makes a smooch noise, ruffling Kyungsoo’s hair. “You two will get there, just get him alone and smooth talk your way into his pants.”

 

“Not to spoil things but I’m not interested in fucking him just yet.”

 

“It was a figure of speech.”

 

“That’s not…” Kyungsoo, trails off, a confused look on his face. “You know what? Never mind.”

 

Unsurprisingly, everyone in their collective group chat accepts Kyungsoo’s get together, leaving him stuck with ultimately making all of the dishes. Coming to his rescue were Sehun and Junmyeon, promising they would dedicate their time to making appetizers if he wanted to do the main course.

With about two hours before people would start to arrive, Jongin sweeps through the door, “Hey! It’s me again!”

 

“Have you come to help me with this dish?” Kyungsoo chops up a baguette, served with his bruschetta, which is sitting out. Jongin settles himself on the arm of the couch, bringing a disapproving look to Kyungsoo’s face.

“No, not really. You’re not wearing that tonight, are you?” He gestures to Kyungsoo’s sweatpants and shirt. “Yeah, I really think this is my best foot forward Jongin.”

 

“Don’t be a dick, I wanted to help, can I do that?”

 

“Go ahead, I’ve gotten plenty of clothes over the years.”

 

“Are you showering?”

 

“If I must.”

 

“Cool, I wanted to do something to your hair.”

 

“There’s nothing wrong with it.”

 

“You gotta dress to impress is all. It’s just a simple get-together. I won’t make it too unbearable.”

Kyungsoo has to think about it, although it’s harmless to let Jongin help.

Before he can even speak Jongin's gone, digging through the closet, “You have so many clothes!”

 _Told you._ He’s forced to stop cooking for the first time in hours, going to take a shower and allowing for the sweat and grime to slide off his skin. He’s afraid of his life with Jongin banging around in his room.

_If he takes some scissors and tries to put me in a crop top again…_

 

Luckily, Kyungsoo is in for a splendid surprise as he towels off, snatching a pair of Calvin Klein briefs before faced with Jongin’s picks. Three outfits: one with black jeans and a red cowl neck sweater, another with slacks and a light blue button down and the final outfit caused an eyebrow raise, blue jeans paired with a beige sweater. “You know I wear this all the time.”

 

“Figured I’d give you an out. I can change it of course.”

Kyungsoo picks up the fabric of the red sweater, slipping it on. “Should I be wearing something underneath this? Feels a little… thin.”

“I can’t see anything, but be my guest.” Jongin looks through his shoes, throwing out a pair of dress shoes, red Converse and some black boots. Kyungsoo exchanges the white shirt and throws the red sweater over on top. He picks up the matching Converse, walking past Jongin to pick through his socks. “Only when it’s casual will you wear something other than black.” He murmurs, moving to the bathroom. Kyungsoo leaves the Converses outside his room and begrudgingly follows through with his promise to let Jongin destroy his scalp. “What did you have in mind?”

Jongin lets out a laugh, “You think I’m going to say anything? I’m shocked you’re listening to me.” He guides Kyungsoo back to his bed, “Just sit here. It’s nothing major,” his fingers comb through the back, “I know I’m dressing you up, but just be yourself. That’s why Chanyeol is into you.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth turns into a smile, eyes closed as Jongin’s hand brushes against his forehead, he can feel the small strands tickle his sensitive skin. Jongin’s finger curls into the malleable hair a few times, “I’m done.” He steps back, opening his front facing camera to show Kyungsoo. He’s a little blown away by the difference a few pieces can make, “Looks good.”

 

“Fuck yeah.” Jongin seems proud of himself, “I’ll check on the food, keep getting ready.” He spins around, “Wait, I forgot to tuck this in.” Discomforting, as his hands are way too far down, “Watch it.”

 

“Shut up, I’m not doing anything to you.” Jongin puffs the sweater out a little, giving it some lift before tending to the main section of the apartment. They talk about Jongdae and Chanyeol as they plate the food, still with another ten minutes before everyone gets here.

Jongin presses his hands into Kyungsoo’s waist, “You’ll be fine, don’t fret too much. Chanyeol’s just as nervous as you are.” His fingers twitch, “Thanks for your help.”

 

“Believe me, I needed my own coach when I was getting to know Jongdae.”

 

“You? What do you have to be afraid of?”

Jongin shrugs, “We all have insecurities. I thought I was reading in too deep, falling fast and hard. Kind of like you.”

 

Sehun and Junmyeon show up first, “Thought we were supposed to help.”

 

“You’ve been replaced by someone much cooler.” Jongin takes the bottles of soju and sticks them in the fridge. “Seriously? Also Kyungsoo, you own a color other than black?”

He doesn’t appreciate that, “you’ve seen me wear every color known to man. Stop acting as though I don’t have a range. I prefer to be comfortable is all.”

Sehun answers the door, nearly getting bowled over by three excitable children who were all somehow older than Kyungsoo. “KSOO!” Baekhyun yells, bestowing a bouquet of white lilies, “a little birdie told me these were your favorite!”

 

“I— thank you?” Kyungsoo has no idea how Baekhyun knew that, but he can see the look on Jongdae’s face, maybe he had gotten something out of Jongin. “You’re welcome! Chanyeol should be here, he had a call to take.” Minseok goes directly to the fridge, like it’s his house.

Everyone’s huddled in the living room, Baekhyun and Minseok are arguing about the latest episode of some drama, Jongdae’s curled against Jongin and Sehun has already drunk one entire bottle of soju. Kyungsoo’s in the kitchen, picking up the mess Junmyeon made when he dropped the bruschetta. As he heads for the front door, he’s met with their last party guest, with his jet black hair swept back and his big eyes looking startled upon Kyungsoo’s appearance. “Hey, sorry I’m late. No one in the business understands personal engagements.” Kyungsoo’s struck by his calm demeanor, “it’s fine. Make yourself at home.”

 

“No, I’ll walk with you. Where are you going?”

 

“The… garbage chute.” Kyungsoo nearly forgets he’s holding a bag. “Is it far?”

 

“Just down the hall.”

 

“Oh, it’s no big deal. Come on.” Chanyeol is suddenly leading the way, does he even know where it is? “What are you guys doing?”

 

“They’re just talking, but we’re going to do some karaoke soon.”

 

“You know that’s just fueling the three of them to do a note sing off, right?”

 

“A what?”

 

“You know, like vocal warm ups, but each turn goes higher. Jongdae wins, sometimes Minseok and never Baekhyun. But his competitive ass still tries.” Chanyeol opens the chute, stopping them in their tracks. “Thanks,” Kyungsoo flicks one of the strands out of his face. “You look nice. I like the sweater.”

 

“Oh, it’s from one of my television roles. I guess they thought I wanted it.”

 

“It’s a good color on you. You should wear it more often.” Chanyeol’s warm aura, it’s not even the compliment itself that’s so pretty, but the way he says it. Kyungsoo could stammer out a witty response, but out of his own personal pity, does not.

The rest of them chorus a greeting to Chanyeol, which launches Jongdae and Baekhyun to try and out sing one another. Minseok’s out, talking to Sehun and sharing another bottle of soju. Kyungsoo’s getting concerned about that.

 

After dinner, everyone’s acting normal, about as normal as they can be. Kyungsoo catches Minseok straddling his fucking couch to talk to Junmyeon, bent over uncomfortably close, Baekhyun is hovering over Jongin and Jongdae, who are on the floor, drunk as hell, laughing. Sehun and Chanyeol are participating in some horrendous karaoke session that his neighbors will surely call the police for. But it’s nice to see everyone getting along, unlike the rapid pace of his fluttering heart. He has no idea how to get Chanyeol alone, much less sober and not in the mood for embarrassing old show tunes. Baekhyun slides next to him, unbeknownst, as he drills holes into the back of Park Chanyeol's head. “Jesus, just talk to him. It’ll make things easier for all of us.”

 

“I know, you guys have to leave.”

 

“Just give me a signal around midnight, I’ll drag everyone out. I just really need this nonsense to be over, I’m sick of seeing you two making eyes while we’re trying to perform. It’s super unprofessional, chef Kyungsoo.”

 

Somehow it feels like an apology needs to be made before Baekhyun quickly moves on, “So like maybe I flip you off or tap my ear three times or start trying to haul Jongin’s fat ass off of the floor?”

 

“The latter choice seems most appropriate.”

 

Kyungsoo almost forgets their plan until Jongdae is out the door, helping Jongin and Baekhyun. Junmyeon is holding Minseok’s hand, Kyungsoo truly has no idea what the fuck even happened tonight. Sehun’s walking with Chanyeol, looking as though Kyungsoo will be left alone. He’s desperate, but what does he say? _Chanyeol, can I talk to you for a second? Chanyeol can I get you alone? Chanyeol don’t go. Chanyeol can you stop being an ass and kiss me?_

Sehun turns around, expectantly, “Okay, thanks for the get together Kyungsoo. You should host us more often.”

 

 _Maybe if I can get Chanyeol to make up with me._ He nods, “Anytime. Although I could argue that Junmyeon’s place is much bigger.”

 

“As you can see, it’s occupied for the night.” He rolls his eyes, “Typical.”

 

Chanyeol’s lurking a little and Kyungsoo can just feel the tension as Sehun goes down the hallway.

“I should probably get going as well.” His voice is soft, seemingly shy, “Thanks for a great party.”

 

“It’s nothing.” Kyungsoo feels incredibly stupid. _Say something fuckhead._ Chanyeol gives him a hug, letting go and is at the elevator when Kyungsoo finds the will to go get him. “Do you want to come with me?” Chanyeol gives him a look, before the doors open. Kyungsoo looks back, “Um… where are we going?”

 

“I dunno. Why are you following me?”

 

“Just thought you wanted to talk some more.”

 

Chanyeol checks his watch, it’s about 12:14, “There’s a market vendor open all night.”

Kyungsoo is a little let down by his own accord, before vigorously nodding. “Sounds good, I’ll go lock up.”

 

Chanyeol is standing in the elevator, holding the door open for him.

“You sure you won’t be cold without a jacket?”

 

“It’s only for a little bit.”

 

Kyungsoo did in fact need that jacket, he’s shivering within ten minutes. Chanyeol notices and keeps him close, “Told you.”

 

“I don’t want to hear it.”

 

The market is one Kyungsoo has been to at least five times, enough for them to smile at him in greeting. “Are you hungry? I don’t know if you ate much tonight.”

_Is he monitoring me?_

“I could eat. But I had enough at dinner, thank you much.”

 

Chanyeol breaks away to look at the dragon fruits and durians. He snatched a basket somehow, loading it with a Pomegranate drink, a dragon fruit and some cucumbers. Kyungsoo starts to think perhaps he should have grabbed his own basket. He searches for things he might want, in dire need of cereal and some milk, he grabs an eggplant and some ricotta, seeing eggplant lasagna that Sehun sent, “One of my vegetarian friends said this was a good one. He also suggested we do a vegetarian and vegan cookbook to boost our sales in America.” Kyungsoo echoes that in his mind, attempting to look for anything worthwhile. He grabs gluten-free pasta, bow-tie shaped and a tomato. He draws a blank and takes some non-dairy ice cream, just on a whim. Chanyeol seems confused by his choices, “Trying new things I guess?”

 

“What makes you think I’m not vegetarian?”

 

“We had barbecue together, stupid. I watched you eat grilled pork belly all night.” He shakes his head, “Come on, I can’t be seen with these weird things in my basket.”

He buys everything and Kyungsoo tries to complain, “Just pay me back, I can afford it anyways.” Kyungsoo scowls, like he’s got a bad credit score or something that Chanyeol feels like he’s richer.

“We gotta take the train to my place, it shouldn’t be more than ten minutes.”

 

“We can’t walk?”

 

Chanyeol rolls his head back, groaning, “Okay. You can carry this bag while we walk.” Kyungsoo follows him, there’s not that many people out right now. Maybe there’s something else going on, because it’s usually packed on a Friday night. Chanyeol takes a right, ushering Kyungsoo in front of him. “Lots of people, I can’t lose you in here.”

A group is blasting music and doing choreography while girls record them. They trek past everyone, until Chanyeol makes a left, then a right, pulling his keys out to his apartment, “We’re here.” He pushes through the French doors and Kyungsoo is greeted by the grand lobby, darkened by the night and a smattering of people. He’s always concerned someone will recognize him, they slide into the manned elevator. Chanyeol makes small talk with him until they reach floor nine and walk down the hallway to get to number two, opening up to Chanyeol’s massive apartment. Kyungsoo’s arms are tired from carrying the food, so he speeds to the kitchen, the fabric digging into his skin. “Sorry, guess I didn’t think about those bags.” Chanyeol closes and locks his door. It’s about one in the morning. Kyungsoo should be tired, but he’s pumped too full to the brim with adrenaline to notice. Chanyeol slides next to him, putting things away and opening a bottle of water. “You want some?”

 

“Sure.”

Kyungsoo unlaces his shoes, sinking into Chanyeol’s couch as they sit together.

 

“You’re not gonna leave again are you?” Kyungsoo jokes and Chanyeol tosses his arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “Um, actually…”

He glares at Chanyeol, who smiles broadly, “Sorry, I promise I won’t leave like that again. Unless Jongdae wants to use his one kickboxing class to his advantage.”

 

Kyungsoo will kill him if that ever happens.

 

He says nothing, shifting a little into Chanyeol’s shoulder. His hand slides against Chanyeol’s leg, in an attempt to throw himself over his lap and presumably put him on top. “Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol utters, but never gets any further as Kyungsoo puts his plan into action, rolling over onto Chanyeol’s legs, spreading himself as much as he can while sensationally cupping his cheeks and leaning in for a kiss. He stops though, hovering over a certain distance. He hears Chanyeol’s soft breaths of ecstasy, his hands eagerly curling into Kyungsoo’s sweatshirt. Overwhelmingly, he pushes further in, so he’s taller than Chanyeol. It forces him to bend back a little, working his lips into Chanyeol’s open mouth which he receives well, nudging Kyungsoo back down to Earth. His lips are a little chapped from the cool wind they encountered, never mind how their swapped spit fixes everything. Chanyeol’s hands find themselves shoved underneath both layers of clothing, lifting it up and off. Kyungsoo isn’t sure what to do with himself, should he take everything off or let Chanyeol do the work? Should he touch Chanyeol the same?

 

Realizing at once that he’s stopped the kiss, does he tilt his forehead into Chanyeol’s. “Carry me.” He discloses, biting his lower lip for effect. Chanyeol doesn’t need to be told twice, standing up with his arms draped around Kyungsoo’s lower back, legs wrapped high above his hips. Chanyeol dips down to open his bedroom door, letting in a rush of freshly cold air. He shudders, before Chanyeol sets him on his king-sized bed, unlacing his shoes and peeling his socks off. Pouncing on Kyungsoo’s curiosity in watching and smothers him in affectionate kisses and bites. He relishes the soft sounds emitting from Kyungsoo’s throat, raw and unfiltered. Just like him.

 

“Kiss me again.” His hand waves around, hitting Chanyeol’s nose and redirecting his attention to Kyungsoo’s kiss-swollen lips and this unmistakable look of lust in his lens-soaked eyes. Which reminds Chanyeol, “You should probably take your contacts out.”

 

“That’s… what you want to discuss? Okay.” Kyungsoo’s eyes are fairly dry, as he rolls over to take them out in Chanyeol’s bathroom.

“I care about your well-being, remember?”

 

“How intimate.” Kyungsoo sits on the edge of the bed, playing with the duvet cover peppered in deep blue. The room is blurred a little, in his peripheral. Kyungsoo hasn’t kissed without some form of sight, meaning he was kind of an idiot for forgetting his glasses.

“Hey, are you okay? Was it bad?” Chanyeol’s hurt tone makes Kyungsoo look up, naturally squinting a little.

 

“Do I need to move closer? What’s your eyesight like?”

 

“I can see you just fine. Once you’re up against me it won’t be a big deal.” Kyungsoo flashes a smile, which is reflected onto Chanyeol’s face, giddy with joy. “Oh, okay.”

 

Chanyeol often seems to forget how tall and strong he is, throwing a pillow at Kyungsoo’s head, which lands squarely. Then he proceeds to tackle him against the covers. “Fuck! Chanyeol!” He squirms, head aching from the hardness of the pillow.

 

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Did I really hurt you?” Chanyeol reverts back to his soft, childlike way, in fear that he just ruined their night. Well, now it’s morning. He looks over at the clock, which reads 1:12.

 

“We should probably sleep. I have things to do tomorrow.” Chanyeol quietly slides off and goes to the bathroom. Kyungsoo scratches his head, unsure of what his move is. He’s not dressed for bed by any means, honestly jittery about having to be in a certain state.

 _What’s the problem? You’re already shirtless._ As a logical thinker, Kyungsoo deftly unbuttons his pants, rolls them down his legs, landing them on the floor. Kind of an asshole move, but he can at least find them in the morning.

His eyes start to drift, a fast sleeper when pushed to his circadian limits, only hearing the bathroom door shut and Chanyeol’s clothes rustling, as he slides under the shared covers.

His heart pounds, as Chanyeol leans over, almost a sense of echolocation to find Kyungsoo’s head, which he kisses his temple and whispers, “Night. Sorry I kept you up so late.” Chanyeol moves to his respective side as Kyungsoo flips over to face him, closing that gap. He pauses once again, studying his face in the dark, which is pointless because he really can’t see a damn thing. Kyungsoo goes for it, kissing… well, a part of Chanyeol’s face, too quick to be able to tell, before moving closer for warmth. “Goodnight Chanyeol.”

 

Kyungsoo is surprised that he is the first one awake, even thinking of going back to sleep. Though the thought enters his mind to make his newly minted boyfriend breakfast, which Kyungsoo assumes that’s what is expected of him, as an actual chef. Not that Chanyeol really cared. He quietly tiptoes to the kitchen after re-accumulating his stockpiled clothes, relying on his shitty eyesight to guide him into making something of the materials they collected last night. He eats some cereal for himself, a small portion, to get started. He decides on egg toast sandwiches after seeing bread and eggs in the fridge, stirring in cabbage to melt onto the hot pan before the eggs get started. He rummages through to find any fruit, not wanting to waste what Chanyeol had bought the night before and discovers some overly ripe mangoes that are of no use and one banana. _It’ll do I guess._ Kyungsoo chops it up to fine bits, wanting more variety, but he’s not willing to leave the house for it.

Chanyeol’s behind him suddenly, hands on his waist, “What are you making?”

 

“Chef’s special.” Kyungsoo replies matter-of-factly. “So a little of this and that? I’m kind of impressed,” Chanyeol buries his face into Kyungsoo’s shoulder, “There’s nothing in this house I thought.”

 

“You have more options than I do.”

 

“Oh, that’s sad. Take some stuff with you before you leave. It’s probably gonna go bad soon anyways.”

 

“Okay, I’ll see about that.” Kyungsoo backs off from the stove a little, it’s getting hotter by the minute. “I’m not a moving roadblock am I?”

 

“You’re fine. Just latch on.” He loves how clingy Chanyeol is, plating their food and being half-carried into the dining room.

 

“I’m gonna drop everything if you keep holding me like this.”  His warning falls on deaf ears. Surprisingly, nothing bad happens and Kyungsoo gets the feeling Chanyeol just lucks out on these things. Amongst the clanging of silverware, “Did you sleep well?”

 

“Yeah. You have a nice mattress.”

Chanyeol seems a little taken aback by the compliment, “Thank you? Um, I guess do you want the mattress brand?”

 

“No, no,” Kyungsoo laughs, “I didn’t want to just say I slept fine.”

 

“What are you doing today?” Chanyeol stretches his arms and legs out, sighing softly. His tousled bed head is adorable, Kyungsoo can’t help himself pushing his hand through it. Chanyeol leans into it, eyes closed and a soft smile playing on his lips. Kyungsoo settles himself into Chanyeol’s lap, kissing him again. His feet plant themselves into the hardwood floor, fingers woven into Chanyeol’s mussed hair. The early morning transitioning into afternoon light makes its presence known against his back, warm and inviting.

“What are you doing today?”

 

Chanyeol’s a little dazed, “Me? A conference call around two, but if you want me to come over later, maybe make me some dinner. Yeah, that sounds nice.”

Almost as though he was tempting himself now, Kyungsoo gets off of his lap, thoughts running amuck. “Sure, I would love that.” _Leftovers from last night I suppose._ Chanyeol’s arms slide underneath him, “Whatever you wanna do.” Presses a kiss into his temple, “I do have to prepare for this meeting though, after breakfast.”

Kyungsoo nods slowly, processing his words which essentially meant:  _I need you to leave, but I’m too nice to say it._ “Got it, I’ll see you later then.”

 

He later rejects Chanyeol’s attempt to give him new clothes, opting to wear what he had on last night, although mildly more wrinkled than before, as expected. Chanyeol walks him out, down the stairs and into the lobby. He’s holding Kyungsoo’s hand, tugging at the sleeve before embodying the two of them in a sensual kiss. “Bye Kyungsoo.” His mouth twists into this small, shy smile before letting go.

Once Kyungsoo leaves, does he check his phone, low on battery and high in volume. Junmyeon and Sehun texted him a dozen times, left voicemails, Jongin called once but Chanyeol had called the night before? Confused, Kyungsoo taps the voicemail, pressing it to his strained ear.

 

_Kyungsoo-ah… it’s late, like seven. I’m sorry I might not be able to come. I hope I can, I really need to talk to you. A lot of our friends probably think we’re dense, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I know what I’m doing when it comes to you. Otherwise I wouldn’t have tried to kiss you._

_I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you what happened, I know that’s on me. Please forgive me if you can or if you even want to. Truth be told, I don’t know you that well and I think it’s important that I do. The other guys make fun of me for melting in front of you, that’s a telltale sign that I might like you. Sounds stupid, I know._

_Regardless of the others, I wanted to tell you that you’re doing a great job as a chef and how genuine you seemed on television. I don’t think that’s something I could ever do as a celebrity. Minseok told me that you were staring at me during commercial breaks during his bit, he found it amusing. Baekhyun yelled at me when I said we hadn’t kissed before, saying I was a coward and a fool. A little harsh, but given my past record with five partners, I’m not surprised at their enthusiasm over anything. I’m getting carried away here, sorry._

_Kyungsoo, I need you to know that I have a crush on you, massively. Since we met. I’m hoping to change everything tonight and if you’re listening to this alone, things are going to be awfully awkward._ A short laugh ensues,  _I have to go now, Baekhyun’s trying to sneak me out of this meeting unnoticed._

 

The phone moves on to the next voicemail.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for loving chansoo 💕
> 
> the title is derived from the 2016 film “moonlight"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajpItJr4nN0
> 
> find me on twitter https://twitter.com/yutataeils


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